Dvorak Turns His Grumpifier Ray On Mobile Operators

from the wrong-side-of-the-bed dept

We've noted in the past how the widely read tech columnist John Dvorak's raison d'etre these days seems to be just to show off how little he understands about technology and business, but that's not entirely accurate. He seems to also be on a mission to prove he's getting pretty grumpy as time goes on, too. One of his latest pieces, for Dow Jones, is a bizarre rant about the cell phone business. Presumably, the idea behind these columns for a financial newswire is to provide some insight into the technologies relevant to companies readers might want to invest in. Dvorak concedes "I have no investment insight into the business", so he instead treats readers to his personal feelings about mobile-phone etiquette, his rather unsubstantiated view that the industry took a step backwards when it switched from analog to digital networks, and the revelation that his real problem with cell phones is that he's cheap and thinks they're too expensive. These three factors really seem to be holding the carriers back -- just check out the latest quarterly results from the likes of Verizon and Cingular. So long story short, don't invest in the mobile industry because John Dvorak is cheap, and thinks people that talk on their phones are rude -- with advice like that, watch out Warren Buffett, your days as the sage of investing are numbered.

Re: Dvorak keyboard

Grumpifier Ray

While most of the article was crap, he did have one good point. Cell phones are very cheaply made. It is pretty rare o have a modern cell phone that works longer than a year. If I paid 2-4 hundred dollars for a phone, it should work longer than a year.

Better to be grumpy than than a smartass noob

Looks like Dvorak hit a nerve with some cell phone fanboys. Dvorak has been around a long time and has seen enough technocrap come and go to be entitled to his opinion. Compared to him, most people are noobs. Dvorak was writing tech articles before a lot of you could read. Grumpy or not, he is very much a part of the last twenty years of technology (cell phones are sort of like technology in a Playstation kinda way), and anyone who has him confused with the keyboard is likely not.

And on the Blue-tooth ear set thing, I would say dork pretty much captures the essence of the image.

Re: Better to be grumpy than than a smartass noob

More like the last 20 years before the most recent 20 years. The art of a good career is knowing when to retire.

It seems to me that his rant is all about how everyone around him is keeping in touch and he has no one to talk to. And while I don't personally have any use for the bluetooth wireless ear piece, I do know that they're pretty handy and useful if you're the type of person that needs one. I have had my cell phone for 2 years+ and have not had anyone deride me or ostracize me from society. But, I'm no teenager, and that may be most of that issue.

The cell phone industry is geared towards teens and young adults. It is no wonder that Mr. D doesn't get it anymore than people wondered what happened to all the horses in the early 1900s.

Sorry Dvorak, call phones are here to stay - lol, he even admits to having one.

Funny how in one article he's going on about how new technology's always better and then in the next, he's going on about how cell phones are such a horrible thing... lol

The idiots he speaks of - never paid attention to begin with. Other idiots who have to broadcast to everyone within earshot, their business..... feel fourtunate that they are ranting to someone on the phone - if they weren't they might be trying to talk to you personally... lol

People are stupid with or without cell phones, just some things - like cars, cell phones, and such make it more obvious how dumb they really are.

Why do people think Dvorak is relevant?

John Colbert is more relevant and knows more about technology. This article is useless in the context in which it was presented. John is jealous of the zealots of the latest fashion, which is exactly what he is complaining about. Fashion continues to make people rich. It is strictly a short term investment.

Holy cow!

Relax people. Haven't you ever seen an OPINION column before?

This is not hard news. This is barely serious. It's one dude's RANT. OPINION.

If you've ever read much of Dvorak, you'd realize the man is not really into backing up his facts. Just pushing his wisdom out to the masses. And if you'll notice, he usually does it in a way that's inflammatory. Because that brings people to his site. The controversy makes him relevant.

He's just like Madonna doing racy things on stage to draw controversy and make people know she's still alive and so maybe just MAYBE one of those people will put 2 and 2 together and decide to buy one of her albums... now that they know she's still alive and still putting out music and all.

Just Dvorak doesn't look anything like Madonna. So instead of crucifying himself in Rome, wearing cones on his chest or dancing around in a skimpy outfit with androgenous dancers pulsating around him, you get a column like this.